Karen armed organisations held an informal meeting at an undisclosed location in Kawthoolei Region, on 24 September 2024, to discuss access to the section of the Asia Highway connecting Myawaddy and Kawkareik towns, according to a high-ranking officer who participated in the discussion.
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), and its allied forces currently control the Myawaddy to Kawkareik section of the Asia Highway and have closed it. At the meeting other Karen armed organisations requested permission to use the road and urged the KNLA to reopen it.
An officer from an armed organisation who did not want the name of his organisation released said to KIC: "The road section is currently closed, so alternative routes are being used for travel and trade. However, those roads are in poor condition, and traffic congestion is a recurring problem. There were requests to reopen the closed road section during the meeting, but no agreement was reached.”
The meeting was attended by leaders from KNU/KNLA Brigade 6, and Brigade 7, high-ranking officers from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), representatives from various factions of the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), and members of the KNU/KNLA Peace Council (KPC).
There are widespread rumours that there are ongoing negotiations between Karen armed organisations and Thai traders to reopen the closed section of the Asia Highway, according to local sources.
A businessman from Myawaddy involved in the export-import trade said: "If negotiations regarding taxation and toll issues proceed smoothly, there is a possibility of reopening the road. Reports indicate that both Thai traders and Karen armed organisations are strongly advocating for the reopening. However, it remains uncertain what the next steps will be.”
Previously, on 9 September 2024, the Thai Ambassador to Myanmar H.E. Mr. Mongkol Visitstump and the junta-appointed Karen State Chief Minister U Saw Myint Oo met in Hpa-An, the Karen State capital, to discuss facilitating border trade and transportation between the two countries, according to a Karen State Government statement.
The Myawaddy-Kawkareik section of the Asia Highway is a vital route for Thailand-Myanmar trade. The KNLA and People's Defense Force (PDF) troops, who control the Myawaddy to Kawkareik section of the road, have kept it closed it for nearly two years, saying it is necessary due to ongoing fighting with the junta.
